Chris Vigil: Simple projects can improve the comfort and safety of your home

Summertime brings many things. Some take advantage of time off and take a well needed vacation with the family. Some go camping or to the beach while others take the time to do home improvement projects.

The warm weather offers more than just fun in the sun. It also offers the opportunity to get some work done around the house. With a few days here and there dedicated to small projects around the house, a lot can get done. Here are some easy home fixes that can help get your home in shape and ready for the fall and winter. While its easy to forgo work on the house and spend some time by the pool or out on the golf course, just consider taking care of a few small things over the weekend.

Some simple work can improve the overall condition and comfort of your home. One quick and easy tip that a lot of people forget to do that will keep your home cooler while saving you money and it's as easy as looking up at your ceiling fan. Switch the ceiling fan's blades so the leading edge is higher as the fan turns, so you can feel the breeze from the fan as it rotates. This simple action will push cool air down, enabling you to set the air-conditioning lower and save money on energy.

Have you ever given your dryer much thought? Most of us just pile the clothes in, set the cycle then walk away to other pressing issues. Did you know that the U.S. Fire Administration reports nearly 16,000 dryer fires occur annually? This happens largely because dryers' vents get clogged with lint and dust. You can avoid any unnecessary dryer-caused danger by clearing the vents. Just get a vent-cleaning brush kit, which can clean your dryer vent tubing more thoroughly than a vacuum cleaner can.

After you have cleared the vent you might want to check the balance of your washer and dryer.

Much like the rotation of car tires, over time they need to be balanced, so does your washer and dryer. You can adjust the legs underneath to balance the machines. Most legs have twistable legs for this purpose.

Onto the outside. Water and debris can accumulate in your gutters over the fall and winter, which can lead to water damage in your house.

You want to have clear drainage so water flows away from the walls, windows and foundation of the house.

By using a ladder to gain access to your gutters you can remove any built up leaves, birds nest or trash that has found its way there. After that, you can use a water hose to spray down the gutter and watch the water exit the gutter.

Chris Vigil is the broker/owner of Chris Vigil Real Estate in Whittier. He can be reached at ChrisVigil.net or at 562-945-4422.